CVE-2025-38532
📋 TL;DR
A Linux kernel vulnerability in the libwx network driver allows kernel panics when device resets occur due to feature changes like toggling Rx VLAN offload. The issue stems from improper resetting of Rx ring descriptors, leading to malformed SKBs that trigger kernel bugs. This affects Linux systems using the libwx driver for compatible network hardware.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with libwx driver
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to system crash and denial of service, potentially disrupting network connectivity and system availability.
Likely Case
System crash or instability when network device features are modified, requiring reboot to restore functionality.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or if affected driver features are not used.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to trigger device resets through network configuration changes. No public exploit code is known at this time.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel with fixes from the provided stable commits
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/10e27b2a6ebeda49e9c2897a699d3ce1ded565ee
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. For distributions: Use package manager to update kernel package. 3. Rebuild kernel if using custom kernel. 4. No reboot required for driver-level fixes, but kernel update may require reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Avoid triggering device resets
allPrevent changes to network device features that trigger resets, particularly Rx VLAN offload toggling.
# Check current VLAN offload settings
ethtool -k <interface> | grep vlan
# Avoid changing these settings if possible
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor for kernel panic logs related to libwx driver and network configuration changes.
- Restrict network configuration privileges to prevent unauthorized device resets.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if libwx driver is loaded: 'uname -r' and 'lsmod | grep libwx'. If using affected kernel version before fixes and libwx is loaded, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits: 'uname -r' should show patched version. Check git log for commit hashes in kernel source.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages mentioning libwx, wx_clean_rx_irq, or skbuff.c:2814
- System crash logs following network configuration changes
Network Indicators:
- Network interface resets or instability after feature changes
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("libwx" OR "wx_clean_rx_irq" OR "skbuff.c:2814")